Robot Taxi Boarding Control for Intent Detection and Secure Access

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current autonomous driving technologies lack a means for passengers to hail and board robot taxis on the spot, and there is no mechanism to prevent unauthorized boarding.

Innovation Solution

A boarding permission determination device equipped with sensors, GPS, a controller, display, and authentication systems that detect passenger intent and control vehicle stops and door access to ensure authorized boarding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the robot taxi stops and unlocks the door for any detected person, then boarding convenience is improved, but security against unauthorized boarding deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveboarding convenienceVSAvoidsecurity against unauthorized boarding
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the person's movements and behavior after detection, providing feedback to determine whether the person is moving toward the vehicle in a boarding manner. This feedback mechanism allows the system to distinguish between genuine passengers and unauthorized individuals, enabling secure yet convenient boarding by unlocking the door only for authenticated passengers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the robot taxi implements passenger recognition and authentication systems, then security against unauthorized boarding is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity against unauthorized boardingVSAvoidauthentication system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the person's own movement behavior and characteristics as the authentication mechanism, eliminating the need for external authentication devices or complex verification systems. The person themselves provides the authentication data through their natural boarding movements, achieving security without increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If the robot taxi monitors person's movement continuously to verify boarding intent, then accuracy of passenger identification is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of passenger identificationVSAvoidtime for verification
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors only the critical phases of boarding movement (detection phase while vehicle is traveling, and verification phase after stopping) rather than continuous monitoring throughout the entire interaction. This partial monitoring approach maintains high accuracy in passenger identification while minimizing the time loss associated with verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3920141B1Boarding permission determination device and boarding permission determination method
Publication Date: 2024.05.15 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3920141B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3920141B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3920141B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A boarding permission determination device (1) comprises a controller (20) that uses a sensor (10) mounted on a vehicle to detect at least a prescribed movement of a person in the periphery of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling. When the prescribed movement of a person is detected while the vehicle is traveling, the controller (20) determines a stop location for the vehicle, controls the vehicle such that the vehicle stops at the determined stop location, and, after the vehicle has stopped at the stop location, when the person that was detected while the vehicle was in motion is recognized, controls a prescribed device mounted on the vehicle so that this person can board the vehicle.